Cam pin plunger clamp

ABSTRACT

A cam pin plunger clamp has a body mountable on a support having a first longitudinal bore of a polygonal cross section and a second intersecting bore defining internal handle guide walls. Opposed cam guide slots are formed in said walls and are adapted to guidably receive the ends of a cam pin projected through the handle. The handle is nested within the body and at one end is pivotally connected to the plunger whereby, on pivotal movements of the handle with respect to the body, the plunger is projected and alternately retracted therein. A spring biased detent retainingly engages the plunger in retracted release position. A spring plunger cover is anchored at one end to the body and at its other end secured to the plunger.

United States Patent [191 Blatt Feb. 5, 1974 1 1 CAM PIN PLUNGER CLAlVlP Prima Examiner-Charles J. M hr 76 I t: Lel dF.Bl 191 b Y e 1 men or y 5 es eck Assistant Examiner-Wesley S. Ratliff, .lr.

Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Cullen, Settle, Sloman & [22] Filed: Jan. 26, 1973 Cantor Appl. No.: 326,797

[63] Continuation-impart of Ser. No. 284,409, Aug. 28,

52 US. Cl. 74/102 [51] Int. Cl. F1611 21/44 [58] Field of Search 74/102, 103, 519

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,898,348 2/1933 Dorer 74/519 102,452 4/1870 Wadsworth.... 74/102 1,731,764 10/1929 Coffin 74/103 698,720 4/1902 Lowe 74/102 908,009 12/1908 Kenyon 74/102 917,025 4/1909 Drake et al. 74/102 [57] ABSTRACT A cam pin plunger clamp has a body mountable on a support having a first longitudinal bore of a polygonal cross section and a second intersecting bore defining internal handle guide walls. Opposed cam guide slots are formed in said walls and are adapted to guidably receive the ends of a cam pin projected through the handle. The handle is nested within the body and at one end is pivotally connected to the plunger whereby, on pivotal movements of the handle with respect to the body, the plunger is projected and alternately retracted therein. A spring biased detent retainingly engages the plunger in retracted release position. A spring plunger cover is anchored at one end to the body and at its other end secured to the plunger.

5 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures Pa tented Feb. 5, 1974 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Patented Feb. 5, 1974 3,789,680

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 4

4 Him CAM PIN PLUNGER CLAMP RELATED APPLICATION This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application Ser. No. 284,409 filed Aug. 28, 1972 entitled CAM PIN PLUNGER CLAMP. i

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Heretofore, various types of plunger clamps have been provided wherein the plunger is guidably positioned within a body and where a linkage is provided for interconnecting a pivotal handle with the plunger for accomplishing forward locking and retracting movements thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved cam pin plunger clamp wherein the linkage aforesaid is omitted and wherein there is a direct connection between the handle and the plunger and wherein certain cam guidemeans are employed interconnecting the body and handle so that pivotal movements of the handle will cause retracting and forward movements of the plunger. It is another object to provide a telescoping protective cover for the plunger.

It is another object to provide a spring biased detent for retaining the plunger in clamp opening position.

These and other objects will be seen from the following specification and claims in conjunction with the appended drawing.

THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the present plunger clamp with the plunger in forward work piece securing position, partly broken away and sectioned;

FIG. 2 is a left end elevational view thereof with a portion of the support therefore fragmentarily shown in cross section;

FIG. 3 is a right end elevational view thereof;

FIG. 4 is a plan view with plunger cover removed.

It will be understood that the above drawing illustrates merely a preferred embodiment of the invention and that other embodiments are contemplated within the scope of the claims hereafter set forth.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present cam pin plunger clamp includes a unit body 11 having opposed side walls 21 and 23 which are so formed as to define the internal slot 17 at the top thereof adapted to receive a portion of the support S fragmentarily shown and secured thereto by fasteners 19. Cylindrical nose 13 is on the forward end of the body and may be threaded at 15, FIG. 4, for mounting or used as a support for the spring plunger cover 61.

Said body is so formed as to define as shown in FIG. 2 a first longitudinal bore 25 of polygonal cross section, shown as square in the illustrative embodiment, adapted to receive the reciprocal plunger 27 of similar cross section; Said plunger at its forward end has a threaded bore 29 adapted to receive a suitable clamping means such as clamp fingers or other detail adapted to operatively or retainingly engage a work piece, not shown.

The body upon its interior has a second upright bore 47 adjacent one end thereof, FIG. 4, which intersects the first bore 25 and defines upon the intrior of the body handle guide walls to cooperatively receive handle 37. As one means of pivotally interconnecting the handle and plunger there is provided a slotted or forked end 31 on the inner end of said plunger adapted to receive one end 35 of the L-shaped handle 37 pivotally interconnected by the transverse pin 33, FIGS. 1 and 2.

Communicating with second bore 47 are a pair of opposed pin guide slots 39 formed upon the interior of the body adapted to receive the ends of the cam pin 41, FIGS. 1 and 3, which extends through an intermediate portion of said handle for operative sliding engagement within slots 39. In the illustrative embodiment, FIG. 3, there is shown a pair of hardened flat portions 43 on the ends of cam pin 41 adapted to engage the body.

A suitable handle stop 45, in the form of a roll pin, projects laterally inward of a portion of the body and into one of the cam pin slots 39, and is registerable with the cam pin serving as a stop for the handle when pivoted to locking position shown in solid lines and with the plunger projected forwardly, FIG. 1.

In operation to retract the plunger, the handle is rotated to the dash line position shown in FIG. 1 with the cam guide pins operably and guidably nested within cam guide slots 39 upon the interior of the body.

It is noted that the stop 45 is so located with respect to the body that when the handle comes to rest with the cam guide pin bearing against said stop, the center line of the cam guide pin is below the center line of the plunger, thus, providing a locking angle for the handle so that horizontal pressure against the plunger tending to retract the same will keep the said pin below the center line with the plunger locked in its forward position, FIG. 1.

Amodified body construction for a plunger clamp is shown-in FIGS. 5 and 6, wherein, upon and along the top surface of plunger 47 is a milled, or otherwise formed longitudinal slot 49. Pre-stop screw 51 is threaded angularly inward and downward through said body so that its end extends into plunger slot 49 for operative engagement with said plunger.

By adjusting screw 51, a pre-set pressure can be applied to the longitudinal angle of the plunger in its forward position, removing all slop from the plunger and guaranteeing the security of cam pin 41 against its stop 45 to remain in locked position. In this position, screw 51 engages the shoulder 53 in said plunger at the end of slot 49.

The present plunger 27 has a clamp opening detented position, as shown in dash lines in FIG. 1 and which corresponds to the dash line position of the handle 37.

Along the center line of the plunger upon its under surface, there is provided the conical socket 59 so that when the plunger is retracted, it will snap into registry with detent ball 55 urged radially inward by the detent spring 57 anchored within a suitable bore in said body. With the plunger in retracted position, the detent ball 55 preloaded by the detent spring 57, snaps into the concical plunger undercut socket 59 loading the plunger and connected mechanism in a retracted or open position.

A resilient or spring plunger cover 61 is shown in FIG. 1 partly broken away and sectioned. It is formed as a rolled heat treated ribbon of steel 63, spherically wound to constitute a telescoping cover.

One end of said cover as at 65 is positioned over the body nose 13 and suitably secured thereto. The other end of said cover receives and has secured thereto a cup-shaped retainer 67, whose radial flange is anchored with respect to an outer end portion of said plunger by the removable retaining ring 69 which nests within a corresponding annular slot 71 formed in said plunger, FIG. 1.

The telescoping cover 61 thus protectively encloses the plunger and in its forward work piece engaging and holding position, as shown in FIG. 1. Upon retraction of the plunger, on movement of the handle 37 to the dash line position shown, the spherical cover elements 49 will be concentrically nested in a closed spiral over the nose 13 and enclosed by retainer 67.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, it appears that the coiled cover 61 tends to expand outwardly on outward movement of the plunger, and is retracted on inward movement thereof on corresponding inward movement of the retainer 67 anchored at 69-71 to said plunger.

Having described my invention, reference should now be had to the following claims.

I claim:

1. A cam pin plunger clamp comprising a body mountable on a support and including a first longitudinal bore of polygonal cross section;

and a second right angularly related bore at one end of the body intersecting the first bore defining a pair of parallel handle guide walls;

there being opposed cam guide slots formed in said walls adjacent the second bore;

a plunger of similar cross section reciprocally and guidably positioned in said first bore and at its outer end adapted to mount clamping means;

an L-shaped handle nested in the second bore and at its end pivotally connected to the plunger;

a cam pin projected through the handle intermediate its ends with the pin ends operably and movably nested within the cam guide slots;

a stop on said body projecting into one guide slot limiting pivotal downward clamping movement of the handle with the plunger projected forwardly;

upward pivotal release movement of said handle moving said cam pin within and along said cam guide slots retracting the plunger;

there being a socket upon the under surface of said plunger intermediate its ends;

and a spring biased ball detent in said body adapted to snap into said socket on retraction of said plunger holding the plunger and connected parts in open retracted position.

2. A cam pin plunger clamp comprising a body mountable on a support and including a first lonigtudinal bore of polygonal cross section;

and a second right angularly related bore at one end of the body intersecting the first bore defining a pair of parallel handle guide walls;

there being opposed cam guide slots formed in said walls adjacent the second bore;

a plunger of similar cross section reciprocally and guidably positioned in said first bore and at its outer end adapted to mount clamping means;

an L-shaped handle nested in the second bore and at its end pivotally connected to the plunger;

a cam pin projected through the handle intermediate its ends with the pin ends operably and movably nested within the cam guide slots;

a stop on said body projecting into one guide slot limiting pivotal downward clamping movement of the handle with the plunger projected forwardly;

upward pivotal release movement of said handle moving said cam pin within and along said cam guide slots retracting the plunger;

and a resilient telescoping cover at one end anchored to said body and at its other end anchored to said plunger for movement therewith.

3. In the plunger clamp of claim 2, said body at one end having a cylindrical nose projecting forwardly thereof receiving one end of said cover; and an apertured cup'shaped retainer receiving and secured to the other end of said plunger cover and overlying an end portion thereof; said retainer being anchored to said plunger.

4. In the plunger clamp of claim 3, the anchoring of said retainer to said plunger including a retaining ring nested within an annular slot in said plunger.

5. In the plunger clamp of claim 1, a resilient telescoping cover at one end anchored to said body and at its other end anchored to said plunger for movement therewith. 

1. A cam pin plunger clamp comprising a body mountable on a support and including a first longitudinal bore of polygonal cross section; and a second right angularly related bore at one end of the body intersecting the first bore defining a pair of parallel handle guide walls; there being opposed cam guide slots formed in said walls adjacent the second bore; a plunger of similar cross section reciprocally and guidably positioned in said first bore and at its outer end adapted to mount clamping means; an L-shaped handle nested in the second bore and at its end pivotally connected to the plunger; a cam pin projected through the handle intermediate its ends with the pin ends operably and movably nested within the cam guide slots; a stop on said body projecting into one guide slot limiting pivotal downward clamping movement of the handle with the plunger projected forwardly; upward pivotal release movement of said handle moving said cam pin within and along said cam guide slots retracting the plunger; there being a socket upon the under surface of said plunger intermediate its ends; and a spring biased ball detent in said body adapted to snap into said socket on retraction of said plunger holding the plunger and connected parts in open retracted position.
 2. A cam pin plunger clamp comprising a body mountable on a support and including a first lonigtudinal bore of polygonal cross section; and a second right angularly related bore at one end of the body intersecting the first bore defining a pair of parallel handle guide walls; there being opposed cam guide slots formed in said walls adjacent the second bore; a plunger of similar cross section reciprocally and guidably positioned in said first bore and at its outer end adapted to mount clamping means; an L-shaped handle nested in the second bore and at its end pivotally connected to the plunger; a cam pin projected through the handle intermediate its ends with the pin ends operably and movably nested within the cam guide slots; a stop on said body projecting into one guide slot limiting pivotal downward clamping movement of the handle with the plunger projected forwardly; upward pivotal release movement of said handle moving said cam pin within and along said cam guide slots retracting the plunger; and a resilient telescoping cover at one end anchored to said body and at its other end anchored to said plunger for movement therewith.
 3. In the plunger clamp of claim 2, said body at one end having a cylindrical nose projecting forwardly thereof receiving one end of said cover; and an apertured cup-shaped retainer receiving and secured to the other end of said plunger cover and overlying an end portion thereof; said retainer being anchored to said plunger.
 4. In the plunger clamp of claim 3, the anchoring of said retainer to said plunger including a retaining ring nested within an annular slot in said plunger.
 5. In the plunger clamp of claim 1, a resilient telescoping cover at one end anchored to said body and at its other end anchored to said plunger for movement therewith. 